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The Life and Times of Duane Thomas
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Detroit Kronk gym light middleweight Duane Thomas (1961-2000) is today just one of the many boxers of the past who have come and went and are completely forgottenin the winds of time. A World Boxing Council World Light Middleweight champion, Thomnas comiled a professional record of 31-3 with 21 knockouts. Thomas’ three losses were all at the championship level. Thomas figured into five consecutive USBA and four consecutive WBC world title bouts, and remains one of the few boxers-if not the only boxer-who retired for ten or more years to make a successful comeback.
Thomas turned pro in April 1979 with a four round decision win over 6-0 Ken Rocky Fusco at the Felt Forumin New York City. Traveling between Michigan, Ohio and Las Vegas, Thomas won his first 16 bouts by decision, knockout and disqualification. His longtime training partner in the Kronk Gym was Thomas ‘Hitman’ Hearns.
Thomas lost his first trip to Atlantic City to Atlantic City to Buster Drayton, winning the USBA Light middleweight title from Nino Gonzalez in his second try. His lost his third USBA title bout to Donald King at Showboat Las Vegas, then regained it by knocking out Clayton Hires in Detroit. After decisioning Sumbu Kalambay at Bally’s Atlantic City, Thomas stopped Mark McPherson at Resorts Atlantic City to retain the USBA title, and stopped Tony Ojo to again retain the USBA title in Phoenix, Arizona.
Duane stopped John Mugabi at Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas to win the vacant WBC World Light Middleweight title in December 1986. Duane lost his WBC title by 12 round decision in his first defense to Lupe Aquino in Francein July 1987. In January 1988, he failed to regain his WBC belt when Gianfranco Rossi stopped him in Italy. In October 1989, Thomas won an eight round decision over Thomas Covington in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and retired. Thomas had not dealt well with being a world champion.
In his prime, Thomas was a heavy hitting counterpuncher and a student of fight films.
Thomas returned to the ring in April 2000 at Joe louis Arena in Detroit at age 39 with a six round decision win over Abraham Bruno. Sadly, Thomas was murdered in June 2000 while walking out of a party store in a minor Detroit drug dispute gone wrong. He left behind a wife and two sons. The ring potential and promise of Duane Thomas was still there. Why did he give up in 1989?What happened to Duane in the years lost remain a mystery. How he put his life back together and returned to the ring is just as mysterious.
At the time of his death, Thomas was working with his old trainer, the late Emanuel Steward, to set up a Kronk Gym in London. Only three references to the death of Thomas were found online. There is no record of his burial. As a ring historian, I have a memory not just of fighters, but of the bright moments in their career. Somewhere, somehow, in a Cocaine deal gone sour, Duane Thomas emerged from a store and got shot in the chest, arms and legs. Duane Thomas had taken a fatal wrong turn on the road of life, and in an instant reached the end of the road.
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